Such a ball-and-socket joint is described in the German patent application DE 100 09 054.0, where the ball-and-socket joint housing made of an electrically conductive material is connected via electric lines to an evaluating unit, by means of which excessive wear of the bearing shell, which is characterized by the direct contact of the joint ball with the ball-and-socket joint housing, can be detected.
DE 199 18 869 A1 discloses a ball-and-socket joint for vehicle steering knuckles, which has a joint housing and a joint pin, which is mounted rotatably and deflectably in a two-part bearing shell made preferably from a polymeric material by means of a spherical bearing surface, wherein the bearing shell itself is arranged in the joint housing. A wear indicator insert, which protrudes from the sealing washer in the nonworn state of the ball-and-socket joint on the side of the sealing washer facing away from the bearing shell, is inserted into a sealing washer fixed in the housing under pretension against the bearing shell. This pretension decreases with increasing wear of the ball-and-socket joint, so that the wear indicator insert can be moved by an operator and can be pressed into the sealing washer from the side of the sealing washer facing away from the bearing shell. When the wear indicator insert can be moved or pressed into the sealing washer to the extent that it no longer protrudes from the sealing washer on the side of the sealing washer facing away from the bearing shell, this indicates that the ball-and-socket joint is worn.